ADA Technologies, Inc. received a $70,000 contract from the U.S. Army to conduct research to further the development of advanced Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for military applications.

Specifically, ADA will assess the ability of several emerging battery nanomaterial technologies to strengthen Li-ion battery energy and power densities, broaden operational temperature ranges, improve safety during operation, and improve cycle life and storage life.

“Lightweight Li-ion batteries hold promise as the best replacement for previous-generation alkaline and carbon-zinc batteries, however, there is continued demand for improvements to Li-ion batteries as they currently exist,” said Wen Lu, Ph.D., ADA Energy Storage team leader.

Today's military equipment is increasingly reliant on powerful and sophisticated electronic components that require a wide range of batteries that are capable of providing high energy and power per unit mass and volume, operation in a wide range of temperatures, long storage life and safety.

This Army contract will leverage the results of a recently completed Department of Energy contract titled “Nanostructured High Voltage Cathode Materials for Advanced Lithium-ion Batteries.” The contract was awarded to ADA by the Department of Energy in July 2009.

ADA’s advanced energy storage research program began in 2005 and to date has received nearly $2 million in research and early stage product development funding.